My long weekend in Madrid - Day 3 (morning) - Convento de las Descalzas Reales - The 20th of February 2016

We left Maravillas's slightly later than we had initially expected because we got involved in a rather interesting morning conversation as we were having breakfast and seemingly forgot about the time.

Soon after having reached Sol we headed to the Convent of las Descalzas Reales though we were only able to book the guided visit for eleven o'clock. No photos could be taken, which is a pity really because the visit to this Convent was clearly the highlight of our stay in Madrid. 

 

 

It took just over one hour as we moved along the magnificent lower and upper cloister connected by an outstandingly beautiful staircase whose side walls are totally covered in mural paintings. Once in the upper cloister we visited the West and South wing chapels, the antechoir, the choir and the North and East wing chapels.

 

We then continued onto the second floor where I was flabbergasted by the tapestries woven in Brussels that cover the walls of the tapestry room. The Chapter House and the Hall of the Kings had  a strong impact on me as well.

 

Despite the fact that a number of rooms are close to the public and one cannot walk about freely it is really worth being visited.

Note: Photos of the Monastery withdrawn from the net

 

 

 

 

My long weekend in Madrid - Day 2 (afternoon and evening) - Strolling around the city up to Parque de la Montaña and the Temple of Debod - The 19th of February 2016

We decided to walk back to Sol via Santa Engracia street having briefly stopped at Chamberi square prior to having walked along Hortaleza where we stopped at various shops.

It was quite hot, which didn't help us in any way as it added to the fact that we were wearing fairly warm clothes already.

We then headed towards the Convent of las Descalzas Reales which can't be visited unless you join a guided visit. We were unfortunately told that all of those guided visits in both Spanish and English were complete, which meant we would have to go back the following day.

Amidst a few brief shopping stops and a slightly longer one to have something to eat all we seemed to want to do was  to continue walking. Because neither of us had ever heard of or visited the Debod Temple  we veered left and headed towards the Almudena Cathedral, the Royal Palace and the Sabatini Gardens, which didn't look too far from Parque de la Montaña where we intended to visit it.

As we walked along Bailén we could see Plaza de España on our right and Museo Cerralbo on our left though we  proceeded towards the gateways of Debod we could see in the distance.

The ancient Egyptian Temple was impressive to look at and more so with its reflexions on the water of the rectangular pond that stretches along its gateways. Its construction is said to have been initiated in the 2nd century BC though later extended during the reigns of Ptolemy VI, Ptolemy VIII and Ptolemy XII.

Because of the construction of the Aswan High Dam and the threat posed by its reservoir and following a UNESCO appeal to save the rich historical legacy as a sign of gratitude for the help provided by Spain in saving the Abu Simbel temples the Egyptian State donated the Temple of Debod to Spain.

Rebuilt in the Parque del Oeste, though reassembled in a slightly different order the outstanding gateways stand proudly whilst overlooking the city and the Royal Palace of Madrid on their left-hand side.

 

We strolled around for a while but it started getting a bit cool so we climbed down going towards Plaza de España to get on the metro and head back to Maravillas.

 

 

It had been a rather tiring day but we felt particularly happy as we sat around the table with Carmen and her mother, who once more had prepared us a very tasty dinner.

 

My long weekend in Madrid - (Day 2 morning cont.) Joaquin Sorolla House Museum - The 19th of February 2016

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Having been drawn to the paintings of Sorolla since the first time I laid eyes on them I felt I couldn't leave Madrid without visiting his House Museum, which we both got fascinated by because it provides the visitor with a thorough insight into the artist's work but also his more intimate life once one is almost constantly immersed into the furniture and other collections of Art  that decorated the house  during his  lifetime.

The  House gardens seem to reflect one of his long time desires - to have a garden with Andalusian and Italian features and an exuberant vegetation that he is said to have planted himself.

As we walked into the house we came across an Andalusian courtyard which Sorolla is said to have decorated with part of his pottery collection.

The first room we visited on the first floor serves as an introduction to the painter's work, showing a retrospective selection of paintings from the main stages of his career.

The horse bath - oil on canvas - 1909 (left). After the bath - oil on canvas 1892 (right).

Characters from Lagartera or the Bride from Lagartera - oil on canvas - 2012.

Self portrait  - oil on canvas - 1909

Clotilde, his wife and eternal muse is to be seen in several portraits hanging on the walls of the various rooms, from Sorolla's study room through to the artist's studio - showing the great love the artist had for his family, as many of the portraits also depict the couple's two daughters and son.

Clotilde with a dog and cat - oil on canvas - 1910 (left). Clotilde in a black mantilla -  oil on canvas - 1919-20





















 Maria dressed in white -  oil on canvas - 1903-04 (right).

Sitting on the sand, Zarauz beach - oil on canvas - 1910 (left). Clotilde in the garden - oil on canvas - 1919-20


















Clotilde - oil on canvas - 1890 (right).

Many of his paintings seem to also explore the visual effects of light on the water and shadows on the sand, focusing on the scenes deprived of any horizon and thus creating a certain degree of intimacy with the depicted characters.

The little sailing boat - oil on canvas - 1909

Seaside stroll - oil on canvas - 1909 depicting the painter's wife and daughter Maria

After bathing - oil on canvas - 2015

The sitting room is dominated by family portraits and there is a clear change of decorative style which continues as we walk towards the ante-room which has marble floors and a distinct number of valuable artistic pieces.

The dining room had a rather vibrant decoration with a spectacular frieze painted by Sorolla above the marble skirting depicting garlands which are said to have become popular in the Italian Renaissance and in which his wife and two daughters were depicted once more.

On the way to the first floor, where temporary exhibitions are normally held, there were two portraits on either side before we walked into a room which now exhibits quite a few Spanish landscape paintings by Sorolla.

We both loved Sorolla's House Museum and the overall atmosphere so much that we felt we should have taken longer to visit it, had we had more time to do so.